Well I think it may be a mix of a bit of sour grapes, a bit of history from the 'Corporations' (when they had some very precious pilots who did consider themselves rather superior) and the usual envy of the biggest kid in the playground.
I have never worked for them, but I have worked with them - mostly on training matters and they are impressive. I think that they are a very, very serious and professional outfit - especially with regard to their training. I have been a guest at Cranebank and other BA facilities and have received nothing but courtesy - and have never been patronised. Modern BA pilots don't walk past us 'independents' with their noses in the air any more - indeed I was in the Med recently and a BA Captain wandered over, asked how we did, had a coffee and then grinned and said 'Race you back!' (No, we didn't!) Read some of the postings by BA pilots on these boards - NW1 for example, and others - and you'll see the calibre of individual they employ nowadays.
World's Favourite? Who knows - but they ain't a bunch of 'stuffed shirts' any more.